Lever and link feed sliding jaw wrench



Dec. 19, 1950 M. A. NAPIER 2,534,985

LEVER AND LINK FEED SLIDING JAW WRENCH Filed Sept. 5, 1946 16 INVENTOR.

) MAU IZICE. A. NA'PEEIZ ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 19, 1950 LEVER AND LINKFEED SLIDING JAW WRENCH Maurice A. Napier, Akron, Ohio ApplicationSeptember 3, 1946, Serial No. 694,447

2 Claims.

This invention relates to wrenches, and more especially it relates towrenches of the end opening type adapted for operation upon hexagonalnuts, couplings, screw heads and the like.

The invention is an improvement upon the wrench that constitutes thesubject matter of my copending patent application, Serial No. 674,288,filed June 4, 1946, now abandoned.

Like the wrench of the copending application aforementioned, the wrenchof the present invention is of especial utility for turning couplingnuts composed of relatively soft metal such as brass or lead. To thisend the wrench is provided with the improved jaws of the priorapplication, which jaws are constructed and arranged to engage the workat three different points arranged 120 degrees apart; more specifically,the jaws are adapted to engage the alternate fiat faces of a hexagonalnut or coupling. The wrench of the copending application is providedwith two conventionally arranged handle members adapted to bemanipulated by hand to grip and to release the work. The arrangement issuch, however, that normal manipulation of said handles requires such anexpansive opening of the operator's hand that use of the wrench isimpracticable in close quarters where space is at a premium. It is tothe relief of this condition that this invention primarily is directed.

The chief object of the invention is to provide in an improved mannerfor effecting the opening and closing of the jaws of wrenches of thecharacter mentioned. More specifically the invention aims to provide awrench whereof the jaws may be opened and closed with but littlespreading of the operators hand; and to provide a wrench whereof theforce applied thereto to turn the work also clamps the jaws more firmlyabout the work. Other objects will be manifest as the descriptionproceeds.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wrench embodying the invention, and thework engaged thereby, showing how the wrench is grasped by theoperator's band;

Fig. 2 is a view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 when opened to themaximum extent, the head or fixed jaw of the wrench being sectioned online 22 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the wrench viewed from the right of Fig.2.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a wrench comprising a head orfixed jaw Ill, a movable jaw ll carried thereby, a handle l2, and a linkpivotally connectin said handle to said movable jaw. The fixed jaw ii]is a. symmetrical one piece structure of irregular shape composed ofheavy sheet metal, said structure being bent or folded along thecenterline thereof to provide identical lateral portions Illa, Illa thatare disposed in parallelism, and in slightly spaced relation to eachother to receive the movable jaw Adjacent the lower end of the structureH1, at the rear thereof, the lateral portions Illa are formed withrespective axially aligned apertures in which a headed pin or rivet I4is received, the handle l2 being pivotally mounted at its upper end onsaid rivet, between lateral portions Illa. At the bottom of structurel0, and at the front thereof (which is at the right as shown in Figs. 1and 2) the lateral portions Illa are formed with relatively shortobliquely downwardly extending portions l5, l5. The respective uppermargins of the latter, and the front margins of the portions. Illaadjacent thereto, are formed with integral flanges l6, l6 that are benttoward each other and abut each other in edge-to-edge relation in thecentral plane of the wrench, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3,

At its upper end, the medial fold or bend of the fixed jaw l0 terminatesat IS, the lateral portions Illa extending therebeyond and extendingtoward each other into abutting relation, where they are permanentlysecured to each other as by welding. The region where the portions Illaare welded to each other constitutes a nose [9, which nose overhangsthat portion of the jaw immediately therebelow, the bottom margin ofsaid nose being flat and constituting a work engaging surface 20.

Positioned between lateral portions lila of the fixed jaw I0 is themovable jaw ll arranged for sliding movement toward and away from thenose IS, the rear margin of said movable jaw abutting the medial fold orbend of the fixed jaw, the front margin thereof being flush with thefront margin of said fixed jaw. The movable jaw is formed with a slot 23that is parallel to the front and rear margins of the jaw, and a rivet24 extending from one lateral portion Illa to the other extends throughsaid slot and limits the operative movement of the movable jaw. Movementof the jaw ll relatively of the fixed jaw I0 is effected by the handle62 to which said movable jaw is pivotally connected by a link 25. Thelatter is of dumb-bell contour, its generally circular end portionsbeing received in complementally shaped sockets in the jaw l l andhandle l2. The socket in the jaw ll opens onto the bottom marginthereof, and the socket in the handle l2 opens onto the upper marginthereof, forwardly of the pivot pin M. The arrangement is such thatangular movement of the handle on its pivot l4 effects longitudinalmovement of the jaw H. The link 25, movable jaw H, and handle I2 are allof the same thickness and are disposed in the same plane. The top marginof the movable jaw H is formed with a V-shape recess or notch, thediverging walls or faces 21,28 of which are arranged at an angle ofexactly degrees to each other. In the assem- II that is locatedtherebetweenQ bled structure, faces 21,28 also are disposed at exactly60 degrees to the face 20 of the fixed jaw ID. The fixed jaw is recessedbelow the face 20 to such an extent that faces 21,28 of the movable jawalways are disposed exteriorly of the fixed jaw,

The arrangement is such that a hexagonal nut or coupling member, such asshown at 36, Fig. 1, may be engaged by the fixed jaw and the movable jawof the wrench, with the faces or margins 21, 28 engaging two of the flatsides or faces of the nut or coupling and the face or margin 20 engagingthe third side thereof. It will be observed that the wrench engagesalternate sides of the nut or couplings, which sides are 120 degreesapart from each other.

The manner of grasping the wrench to operate the same is clearly shownin Fig. 1. As shown, the handle i2 is grasped in the hand with theforefinger thereof hooked over the obliquely extending portions 55 ofthe wrench, as in handling a gun trigger. When the wrench is engagedwith a not or coupling 39 as shown, it is only necessary to urge thehandle in counterclockwise direction to cause the wrench to grip the nutor coupling and to turn the same. When it is desired to reverse themovement of the wrench to obtain a new grip on the work, it is onlynecessary to release the pressure of the i'orefinger, and move thehandle in the opposite direction, thereby opening the jaws of the wrenchsufficiently so that they will pass the corners of the hexagonal not orcoupling, as shown in Fig. Such movement of the handle is relativelysmall, being through an arc of about degrees as will be apparent from acomparison of the position of the handle in 1 and in Fig. 2.Accordingly, the forefinger requires to be loosened or moved only atrifling extent to enable the handle to be moved as described, thusadapting the wrench for use in tight situations where a more expansiveopening of the hand would be impossible. This is true whether the wrenchis engaged with work of the maximum size for which it is designed, orWork or minimum size.

The slot 23 allows substantial range of movement of the movable jaw El,so that the wrench is adapted to operate upon hexagonal work pieces ofseveral different standard sizes.

The wrench is simple in construction, and may be made from stampedparts, thus reducing the cost thereof. The wrench may be used insituations where wrenches with widely opening handles could not beemployed. The link 25 that connects the handle 2 to the movable jaw IIis subjected only to compressive stress during the tightening of thework, and therefore is capable of withstanding great strain withoutbuckling, flexing, or other deformation. The wrench is readily capableof use in a manner that achieves function of a ratchet wrench, and itaccomplishes the other objects set out in the foregoing statement ofobjects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention, or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A wrench of the type having a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, said fixedjaw comprising a sym.- metrically shaped plate folded along its centerline and with its sides arranged in parallelism in spaced relationthroughout the major portion of the fixed jaw and being in contactthroughout a relatively small outer portion to constitute an abutmentfor a nut to be en aged. a movable jaw disposed between the said spacedsides of said fixed jaw and adapted to move toward and from saidabutment, means limiting the extent of motion of said movable jaw, ahandle permanently pivoted between said spaced sides of said fixed jaw,a connecting link pivotally attached to said movable jaw and saidhandle, the pivot point of said handle being, in all positions ofadjustment of said movable jaw, appreciably spaced from a line betweenthe pivotal centers of said connecting link and substantially laterallyadjacent the pivotal center of the link in the handle in the meanposition of the movable jaw whereby to impart rapid motion to saidmovable jaw, and an extension on said fixed jaw directed obliquely tothe path of motion of said movable jaw and being appreciably shorterthan said handle whereby one or more fingers of the hand may engage thesaid extension, trigger fashion, and swing the same throughout largeangular motion without interference by the balance of the fingersengaging the said handle.

2. A wrench of the type having a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, said fixedjaw comprising a symmetrically shaped plate folded along its center lineand with its sides arranged in parallelism in spaced relation throughoutthe major portion of the fixed jaw and being in contact throughout arelatively small outer portion to constitute an abutment for one side ofa nut to be engaged, a Y-shaped movable jaw disposed between the saidspaced sides of said fixed jaw and adapted to move toward and from saidabutment, means limiting the extent of motion of said movable jaw, ahandle permanently pivoted between said spaced sides or" said fixed jaw,a connecting link pivotally attached to said movable jaw and saidhandle, the pivot point of said handle being, in all positions ofadjustment of said movable jaw, appreciably spaced from a line betweenthe pive otal centers of said connecting link and substan tiallylaterally adjacent the pivotal center of the link in the handle in themean position of the movable jaw whereby to impart rapid motion to saidmovable jaw, and an extension on said fixed jaw directed obliquely tothe path of motion of said movable jaw and being appreciably shorterthan said handle whereby one or more fingers of the hand may engage thesaid extension, trigger fashion, and swing the same throughout largeangular motion without interference by the balance of the fingersengaging the said handle. MAURICE A. NAPIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 18,266 Blake Sept. 22, 185777,107 Searle Apr. 21, 1868 660,415 Carter Oct. 23, 1900 898,708Weidemann Sept. 15, 1908 1,034,341 Bourne July 30, 1912 1,195,065 MorrowAug. 15, 1916 1,380,044 Davis May 31, 1921 1,391,337 Minney Sept. 20,1921 1,391,898 Kettler Sept. 27, 1921 1,663,920 Peterson Mar. 27, 1928FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 158,682 Great Britain Feb. 10, 1921

